Inclinometer/Tiltmeter Location

Thought I'd post a little bit of information I've gathered on inclinometers (or tiltmeters as they are also called) in the past few weeks.
I started with a meter from R&amp;B. I did not have that good of luck. I located the smaller meter on the cover of the spool valve at the joystick base on my LA272 loader/kubota B7500. There, it would stay with the CUT regardless if the loader was on the tractor. I ran the CUT on the sideslope, and the meter read "0" and wouldn't move. The pucker meter was telling me what the tiltmeter was not. I tried to adjust the meter, and the bracket broke. Off to the barn to make my own bracket. Well, the same thing happened - no indication of slope.
Without hesitation, Rick at R&amp;B sent me a new meter and new brackets, and a larger meter, also. I mounted the new meter as shown (see attachment), and went out to the slope to test it. Viola! It worked. But, as I watched the meter, the small indicating ball rode up the tube toward "0", and actually stayed there. It is like the vibration in the chassis is causing the ball to move. I do have to say that I did take another meter and set it across the instrument panel, which I know is level on a level surface, and it read 20 degrees. I rolled forward and watched the meter change to 23 degrees. There I stopped and got off the tractor and grabbed the ROPS to test the "tippiness". I'm not a little boy, and let me tell you that at 23 degrees, "she 'aint goin' nowhere". With the loader attached - even empty - that's a different story. Later that day when I had the loader on, I tried it again to see if the meter had the case of the "tempermental tilts". The meter worked, but I couldn't get the loader low enough to feel comfortable! That extra upper front-end weight from the loader made me feel like the whole unit was going to tip. I still think the small meter is more subject to the vibration in the tractor chassis, and will not give me an accurate reading due to the light weight of it's indicating ball. Therefore, I aim to mount the larger meter this weekend (the one with the heavy steel indicating ball) and bet it will overcome the vibration. In fact, I think a meter mounted to an instrument panel (which is likely to be rubber mounted) would probably reduce the vibration to the meter. I will try this, also. I'll keep those interested posted.
Thought I'd try my first attachment. You'll see the location of the meter actually covers the "tipping hazard" warning sticker that came with the loader. I figure I rather see the meter, that the stick man cartoon on the tippy tractor! Here it goes... or not?

Re: Inclinometer/Tiltmeter Location

Robertm
My R&amp;B is mounted dead center on the hood just above the dash so I can see it all the time, and works just fine. The "new" mounting bracket that Rick sent works great and allows for adjustment even after the two-sided tape has set the bracket in place. I will do a picture next weekend when I am at the farm.

I found that the reading is not so precise when you're bouncing along over hummocks and dips in the field I am mowing. I hadn't expected it to be. I was surprised however to find that I've been driving along at a 20 degree side tilt and not puckering as much as the meter is telling me I should. This has been immensely useful as I now slow down, insure that loader is always low and have adjusted my own sense of steep. So my view is that the meter matters not so much as a device to steer by, but as a training device, to remind us where normal is, no matter if our own confidence increases on familiar slopes. If the real tipping point is still several degrees away, that's fine...I can alter my pattern and mow downhill...or skip it altogether.

Re: Inclinometer/Tiltmeter Location

Finally got photo and computer in the same state. Here is where I stuck the R&amp;B tiltmeter on my TC35.

Rick at R&amp;B was super in getting me a mounting bracket that would work on the sloping fiberglass of the dash, and the meter works smoothly....even if it is not, with bumps and jerks of the tractor, a precision instrument. But it does real well to tell me that I am closer to 20 degrees than 15 degrees.